importing a completed replica gt40 into the US

[bob peckham]

Hi, looking to find out if a completed gt40 replica can be imported into the US without being 25 years old , i am guessing a lot has to do with how the title /paper work reads , some are the year it replicates and others are the manufacture or assembly date . Any info would be great
thank You Bob Peckham

 

[Lee Patterson]

Here is at least one thread on the topic from this site: https://www.gt40s.com/threads/importing-a-completed-kit-car-from-outside-the-us.10232/

I have no first hand knowledge but would think EPA and DOT will present problems. I purchased a set of wheels from France and because they were not DOT certified rims, customs stopped them and would not let them pass until I signed off on a form that said they would NOT be used on a US road and were only for racing purposes or "research".

On the other hand, I am pretty certain you could purchase say a chassis or body and "build" your own kit car (kit car is the key) and get it registered in the US, including California.

Best of luck and let us know how it plays out.

 

[Scott]

Bob,

What state are you going to register it in? I had a cobra registered in NJ for 20 years, but I had an absolute nightmare registering it in MA. That process was 1000x more involved than Lee's import experience above.

 

[bob peckham]

I am in NC now but i am from MA originally and have gone thru the MA registering back in the early 2000's a couple of times with cobras.
The problem i see is rules have changed over the years as to turn key minus versus incomplete vechicle's. The link to the thread posted is 20 years old and alot has changed during that time
Regards Bob

 

[Julian]

I think unless you can prove first date of registration more than 25 years ago you will have challenges. I sold my first GT40 a KVA constructed in 1993 to Canada, I had all the original purchase paperwork and letter of MA VIN assignment with first date of registration. It met the 15 year rule for Canada and was easily exported from the US and imported into Canada. Roll forward a few years to 2015 and I'm contacted by a potential US purchaser as he can't get it across the border back into the US, despite all the paperwork showing it was constructed and first registered here.

 

[Davidmgbv8]

You could consider setting up a LLC in Montanna. Cost is $1500 and includes a car registration. I realize that does not help with the import portion but you could also consider removing the engine and shipping separately?

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Hi, looking to find out if a completed gt40 replica can be imported into the US without being 25 years old , i am guessing a lot has to do with how the title /paper work reads , some are the year it replicates and others are the manufacture or assembly date . Any info would be great
thank You Bob Peckham

Not legally.
As suggested the only way is to remove the powertrain and import it as a "chassis" i.e., an incomplete unit for self-assembly. DOT/NHTSA/Customs will demand verifiable proof of age.

 

[Ian Anderson]

Years ago I looked at containering my car and shipping to USA for a driving holiday. At that stage it was £500 each way to ship a container!

After lengthily checking with all sorts of US Govt departments the answer was No you cannot do that.
I could get a temporary import to trailer around USA…..not much fun in that

the car was fully registered and licences for road use in the UK

How many thousand cars are driven across the Mexico and Canada borders… but put it on a ship and no

Faceless departments
ian

 

[JP Verweij]

... At that stage it was £500 each way to ship a container..
ian

Not even close now for that amount. Probably just one rim for £500 now.

 

[Colin Vande Vijvere]

Hi bob,

I too am looking at importing a completed kit car from the UK into the US. Did you figure out anything interesting that you could share with us?

 

[Bob Putnam]

Your best bet: Pull the drivetrain out (and maybe the suspension too) and import in several shipments as "parts".

 

[Colin Vande Vijvere]

Your best bet: Pull the drivetrain out (and maybe the suspension too) and import in several shipments as "parts".

Yeah I was afraid you were going to say that. From what I read it would be possible to put it all in the same shipping container though. Thoughts on that?

 

[Bob Putnam]

Yeah I was afraid you were going to say that. From what I read it would be possible to put it all in the same shipping container though. Thoughts on that?

We've never bet on a single container getting through. Always split things up so that it can't be recognized as a "cheater".

 

[Julian]

Even then you may face some risks and challenges in titling as DMV may want an MSO for the chassis, although I guess you can claim a scratch built. A lot may depend on which state it is heading to.

 

[Colin Vande Vijvere]

We've never bet on a single container getting through. Always split things up so that it can't be recognized as a "cheater".

Hi Bob, would you mind sharing who you use for shipping. I've talked to one company and they said they were only willing to import a complete car as a racecar (which I feel like I could still register pretty easily here in alabama since I'd have to apply for a title in the same way, but I could be wrong on that). When I inquired about shipping a roller and engine/trans separately, they said they didn't do that.

 

[BenL]

I have no idea if this would help, but perhaps sell the engine before you ship the car and then buy a rebuilt '65 engine in the US.

 

[Randy V]

Not legally.
As suggested the only way is to remove the powertrain and import it as a "chassis" i.e., an incomplete unit for self-assembly. DOT/NHTSA/Customs will demand verifiable proof of age.

Rick - As I recall many years ago - This was at one time the only way to get a car from Superformance .. They were shipped without tires on a dolly as I recall. True? And today?

 

[Lee Patterson]

A person on the Detomso FaceBook group just reported that he imported a Mangusta for a buyer. Don't have any details but you could contact him - name is Michael Shortt. Link below. Just scroll down on the group and you will see his post on the mangusta:

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[Julian]

A person on the Detomso FaceBook group just reported that he imported a Mangusta for a buyer. Don't have any details but you could contact him - name is Michael Shortt. Link below. Just scroll down on the group and you will see his post on the mangusta:

A Mangusta is a production car (albeit only 401 built) built between 1967 and 71, sold in N. America so compliant on DoT and now well over the 25 year old rule.

 

[Lee Patterson]

Not a GT but an interesting read on a similar topic. God bless the DOT.

https://ferraris-online.com/importing-an-f50/